Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02401990 2002-08-30
"OSNSRATOR Of ELECTROMAGNSTIC WAVSS 1~OR MEDICAL USS"
I
I TSCRD1ICAL FISLD
The present invention relates to a generator of
electromagnetic waves for medical use for personal physical
and p3ychological wellbeing.
More specifically, this invention concerns an
electromagnetic appliance able to generate an electromedical
. field to treat the body and achieve a high level of
~ wellbeing.
HACR3ROUND ART
It is well known that electromagnetic appliances are
used in electromedical applications designed to offer a wide
range of benefits for the human body.
~5 These appliances may consist of electrodes to be
applied to the skin of various parts of the body,
electrically connected to extremely low energy sources and
designed to send micro..discharges detectable to the muscles
in the zone treated in order to stimulate dilation and
?« contraction to relax and tr~at the tissues.
Applications of this type achieve results similar to or
better than those obtained with acupuncture.
To date, use has also been made of electromagnetic
appliances consisting of belts or straps electrically
35 connected to special electrodes which in this case generate
an electromagnetic fi~ld tv treat muscle masses either
partially damaged or with compromised elasticity.
The effects obtained from these applications cat be
compared to a massage and these devices are therefore
so particularly suitable both in the treatment of muscle masses
and to give the user a sense of wellbeing.
Other devices consist of conductors in general which
are applied to certain parts of the body and transmit energy
fields by means of pulse trains generated by a suitable
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source.
Document US-A-5,527,259 describes an apparatus for
therapeutic treatment comprising:
- a generator unit adapted to provide alternating
- ~ current;
- a control means in electrical connection with said
generator unit and adapted to receive as input
alternating current from the generator unit and to
provide electrical signals as output; said electrical
1o signals at a frequency in the range 0.5 to 25 Hz;
- and one applicator coils in electrical connection with
said control means and adapted to convert the
electrical signals to magnetic fields.
The magnetic field induction multi-pulse therapy device
~5 described in US-A-5,527,259 works controlling the
characteristics of signals applied to the applicator coils
and with the possibility of setting the duration of
treatment and the primary frequency of the applied magnetic
field that can be applied. Moreover said device allows the
3u selection of the duration of treatment and the frequency to
be chosen as well as automatic programs suitable to performs
cycles of predetermined frequencies applications for a
certain predetermined time.
One problem is represented by the fact that some of
'15 these devices may be beneficial in stimulating a certain
muscle bundle, but damaging to the overall health of the
body of the patient undergoing this type of treatment.
mother problem is represented by the fact °chat these =
types of appliance neces9arily reguire electrodes to be
~ applied to the skin.
These may be self-adhesive, in the form of belts or
straps or whatever other means is used to transmit the
electromagnetic waves.
A further problem is the fact that the individual
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electrodes must be correctly positioned in order to achieve
the optimum result, namely resolution of the physical
problem which the appliance is being used to treat.
Correct positioning of the electrodes undoubtedly
s favours resolution of the physical problems.
Incorrect positioning, on the other hand, may increase
the pain and discomfort for the user.
There is also a problem associated with the space taken
up by these appliances, as a result of their size and the
~o need to connect electrodes reguiring varying lengths of
cable which may easily become tangled and are sometimes
difficult to identify correctly.
This often requires the presence of an operator who
must position the electrodes on the user's body, as well as
is supervising control and command of the appliance itself.
DESCRIpTIOp O1" THE INVENTION
The present invention intends to provide a generator of
electromagnetic waves for medical use able to eliminate or
significantly reduce the above problems.
?« This invention also intends to provide a generator of
electromagnetic waves for medical use which is easy to
transport and simple to use.
A further aim of this invention is to provide a
generator of electromagnetic waves for medical use which can
?s be used by more than one person at a time.
An additional aim of this invention is to provide a
generator of electromagnetic waves for medical use able to
transmit successions of selected frequency wave forms
without there being direct contact with the skin of the user
,~c~ or users .
Last but not least, this invention also intends to
provide an electromagnetic wave generator for medical use
which is reliable and safe in accordance with current
legislation and standards on the emission of electromagnetic
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radiation for domestic appliances.
This is achieved by means of a generator of
electromagnetic waves for medical use for personal physical
and psychological wellbeing having the features described in
the main claim.
The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments
of the invention.
According to the invention, the generator of
electromagnetic waves for medical use for personal physical
io and psychological wellbeing comprises components for
generating electromagnetic waves, components for mixing said
waves and components for emitting these waves into a room
which can be occupied by one or more users.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of
s this invention, the generator generates and emits wave forms
equivalent to the sum of the fifth, ninth, thirteenth,
seventeenth, twenty first, twenty fifth and twenty ninth
order harmonics of a series of predetermined basic
frequencies into the surrounding environment at an
?t~ established power.
According to this invention, these wave forms are
emitted into the environment surrounding the generator in
succession according to pre-determined criteria and for pre-
determined periods of time.
t In particular, the length of time for which a given
wave form derived from a given fundamental frequency is
emitted may be different with respect to the period of
emission of another wave form derived from another
fundamental frequency.
3c~ In addition, the criteria determining the succession of
wave forms to be emitted into the environment surrounding
the generator may be established by means of appropriate
means of command and control according to the beneficial
effects to be obtained from said emissions.
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In accordance with a feature of the invention, the
means of control for the mixing of the waves consist of an
adder circuit designed to simultaneously emit each fifth,
ninth, thirteenth, seventeenth, twenty first, twenty fifth
and twenty ninth harmonic of a pre-determined fundamental
frequency in such a way as to obtain a sinusoidal wave form
which is emitted into the environment for a pre-determined
period of time.
Generation of these wave forma is subseguently repeated
icy a number of times, but using different fundamental
frequencies depending on the particular beneficial effects
to be obtained. The final result to the user of the
appliance according to the invention consists of the
emission of a succession of different wave forma into the
~s environment, each for a given period of time and pre-
determined power to form a sort of "music" which is diffused
around the generator, with an effect on people located near
the generator itself.
According to a feature of the invention, the
3ca fundamental frequencies from which the fifth, ninth,
thirteenth, seventeenth, twenty first, twenty fifth and
twenty ninth harmonics are derived to generate the required
wave forms, consisting of the aum of these harmonics, are
within a field from 10 mHz to 10 Hz.
25 one fundamental frequency particularly beneficial to
the user is 1.56 Hz.
According to the invention, the adder circuit consists
of a micraproc=3sor with backing memory-designed, to rzeee_~fe
command signals from a special communications interface
..>o enabling the user to programme operation of the
electromagnetic wave generator.
The generator is preferably housed in a suitable
container together with an appropriate power supply.
The means of emission consist of at least one air
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solenoid,. although numerous alternatives are possible,
including combinations of a number of different means of
emission as described below.
Tests carried out in university research laboratories
show that the magnetic field on the surface of the container
housing the generator of electromagnetic waves for medical
use for personal physical and psychological wellbeing is
between 15 and 18 microTesla, decreasing rapidly to 0.2
microTesla at a distance of 20 cm from the generator.
ic> These values of magnetic field are well below the
maximum acceptable levels (100 microTesla) specified in
current legislation on exposure to electrical and magnetic
fields in domestic and external environments.
The generator is able to emit variable frequency
electromagnetic waves over a wide spectrum, including
components with periods of between 6 milliseconds and 2
seconds.
The generator of electromagnetic waves for medical use
for personal physical and psychological wellbeing also
3c~ incorporates a timer to deactivate it after a pre-determined
period of continuous operation, for example, after thirty
minutes.
The state of wellbeing caused by the generator is
supported by physical-biological analyses.
3~ In fact, interaction between low intensity magnetic
fields induced by modest electrical fields and cellular
structures in general influences the metabolism and, in
pa.= ticular, the interstitial f luids arr biological
membranes. The electromagnetic radiation emitted by the
zu generator modulates thermodynamic kinetics, particularly in
the case of weak molecular bonds.
The low frequency components of the waves emitted,
being in harmony with the vibrations of the cellular
structures themselves, produce micro-resonance, allowing a
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state of natural physiological equilibrium to be achieved
rapidly.
At the same time, the medium frequency components of
the waves emitted accentuate the mobility of ionic and polar
species in the interstitial fluid, thus reducing the energy
requirement of membranes normally responsible for the
continuous movement of fluid from cell to cell.
The high frequency components of the waves emitted
amplify the previously described effects, generally
iu accelerating achievement of physiological and chemical
equilibrium and metabolic exchange in the cells.
The general sensation of subjective wellbeing
obtainable from exposure to the waves emitted by the
generator is comparable with that produced by exposure to
s temperate solar radiation.
DE&CRIPTIOIQ 0!' THa DRAWIp(~B
Other features and advantages of the invention will
become evident on reading the following description of one
embodiment of the invention, given as a non-binding example,
yc~ with the help of the enclosed drawings, in which:
figure 1 represents' a block diagram of a generator
according to the invention;
figure 2 represents a block diagram of a generator with
a number of oscillating circuits;
35 - figure 3 represents a generator according to a
different embodiment; and
figure 4 represents the pattern of an electromagnetic
wave ovar ~.neriod of time.
DESCRIPTION OF ONE EM80DIM3NT
.~c~ In the figures, the reference number 10 generally
indicates an electromagnetic wave generator, in this
specific case, a generator of electromagnetic waves for
medical use for personal physical and psychological
wellbeing.
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With reference to the block diagram in figure 1, it can
be seen that the yenerator 10 has programmable control means
consisting of, for example, at least one microprocessor 11
with backing memory designed to control the means of wave
= form generation, consisting of, for example, an oscillating
circuit 12.
The microprocessor 1l can be activated via a switch or
button 13 and is designed to control stability of the
oscillating circuit 12 and transmit the respective signals
in to the means of emission 14.
In accordance with one embodiment, the microprocessor
sets the basic frequency of the oscillating circuit 12 which
. generates the fifth, ninth, thirteenth, seventeenth. twenty
first, twenty fifth and twenty ninth order harmonics with
i5 respect to the above basic frequency, normally in a field of
between 10 mHz and 10 Hz.
Once the stability of the generated harmonica has been
verified, the microprocessor 11 transmits the sum of those
harmonics to the means of emission 14 which transmit the
=a generated wave form into the environment for a predetermined
period of time and at a--predetermined intensity. --
The fundamental steps of this procedure are then
repeated a number of times.
The microprocessor 11 can thus be programmed in such a
?S way as to command the oscillating circuit 12 to generate
harmonics based on a number of basic frequencies.
Tests carried out by the applicant have shown that the
best results can be obtained using the following frequencies
as the initial fundamental frequencies for generating the
3~~ harmonics: 5.75, 4.10, 2.95, 1.65, 1.57, 0.4, 0.39, 0.166,
0.140, 0.014 8z.
Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment incorporating a
number of wave generators 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, 15f, 15g.
In this case they are again connected to the
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microprocessor 11 and designed, respectively, to emit the
fifth, ninth, thirteenth, seventeenth, twenty first, twenty
fifth and twenty ninth harmonica of the basic frequency.
The microprocessor 11 is designed to add and mix the
waves coming from generators 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, 15f,
15g and transmit the result to the means of emission 14.
Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment with a
microprocessor 16 which incorporates the wave form means of
generation and which is therefore indistinguishable from the
m latter.
The microprocessor 16 contains a number of
predetermined samples of a wave generated by a respective
number of multiple harmonics of a pre-determined fundamental
frequency.
~5 These samples may be selected to enable the wave form
of interest to be reconstructed as faithfully as possible
(figure 4~.
Although the preferred field for the basic frequency is
between 10 mHz and 10 Hz, the invention is also able to
2n operate with a much mere extensive range of basic
frequencies, in-particular, infrasonic and ultrasonic. -~ --
The means of emission 14 may consist of at last one air
solenoid, or a modulable infrared emitter, or a modulable
ultraviolet emitter, or a very low or very high frequency
loudspeaker, or an electrostatic field generator.
The type of emission means is clearly determined by the
basic frequency selected and the hypothetical features of
the environmEnt where the generator. l0 is to be used.
In all the embodiments illustrated above, the generator
~u of electromagnetic waves for medical use 10 is powered by an
appropriate source of energy, for example a commercially
available replaceable battery.
The entire generator 10 can be housed in a relatively
small watertight container, measuring just a few dozen cubic
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~0
centimetres.
The generator of electromagnetic waves for medical use
functions as described below.
Pressing the button or switch 13 powers the respective
s microprocessor 11 which commands and regulates generation of
the electromagnetic waves produced by oscillating circuits
12 or 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, 15f, 15g.
The microprocessor 16 reconstructs the signals by means
of the samples, automatically regulating amplitude in
io relation to the value of each respective frequency.
In each case, the wave train is mixed by the
microprocessor 11 or 16 and transmitted to the means of
emission 14 which radiate the electromagnetic waves into the
external environment Where the users consequently perceive a
sense of general wellbeing and a positive attitude.
In addition, the generator 10 may be equipped with a
special communications interface (not shown in the drawings)
for user programming.
It is therefore possible to determine, for various
.u applications, the basic frequency for generation of the
harmonics, the period and intensity of emission of each wave
form generated and the time sequence of wave form emission.
The electromagnetic wave generator 10 may also be
equipped with a timer to deactivate it after a predetermined
period of continuous operation, for example, after thirty
minutes..
The invention is described above with reference to
certain particulaz forms of embodiment.
However, it is clear that the invention may be modified
?o and varied in numerous ways which fall within its objectives
in the context of technical equivalencies.
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